Elastic band stitching apparatus



Nov. 23, 1965 E. LEVY ELASTIC BAND STITCHING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 15,1962 R m N M Z United States Patent 3,219,002 ELASTIC BAND STITCHINGAPPARATUS Elie Levy, 10 Rue Jaubert, Marseille, France Filed Feb. 15,1962, Ser. No. 173,416 Claims priority, application France, Mar. 24,1961, 19,233, Patent 1,284,938 1 Claim. (Cl. 112-2) The purpose of theinvention is to provide an apparatus for the mechanical stitching ofelastic bands for shorts, slips and other garments and undergarmentshaving an elastic waistband.

The elastic band stitching apparatus of the invention comprises incombination with a sewing machine, a stretcher unit which includes tworollers freely journaled on fixed bearings situated a fixed distanceapart in the same horizontal plane with their axes parallel; and a thirdroller, having an axis parallel tosaid two rollers, provided with avertically movable bearing journaled on a mounting which is shiftablealong a track in a vertical plane, said third roller being provided withmeans for locking in selected vertical position on said track; all threerollers being aligned on a common rigid frame and alwaysremaining thesame horizontal distance apart; and said sewing machine providing meansfor driving material to be stitched around said three rollers.

In the attached drawings, which provide illustrations without anylimitative effect, of one of the embodiments of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the principle on which the device isbased;

FIG. 2 is a view of the apparatus in perspective;

FIG. 3 shows schematically how the device is applied;

FIG. 4 is a view of one of the articles thereby produced;

FIG. 5 is a perspective elevation to show details of a frame of thedevice bolted to the bed of a sewing machine and in operatingrelationship to a sewing head, needle and presser foot.

The apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 consists of a frame with a curvedbase 1 and bends 2 and 3, forming hearings on which the rollers 4 and 5are freely mounted.

The base is prolonged by a profiled upright 6 with a bend forming thebeginning of a fork 7, which accommodates the fitting 8, forming therear bearing 9 of the roller 4.

The rear upright 10, stabilized at its base by the crosspiece 11 securedto a lug 1a, serves as a fixed bearing 12 for the roller 5.

The upper part of this arm supports a guide bar 14 with a stop nut 13,which secures a slide 15 corresponding to the slide 16 in the front. Thetotal length of this slide is equivalent to that of the slide 16 and itsprolongation 17.

The upper roller 18 has a bearing which is integral with the slide 15and a second, in the front, consisting of the stabilizing shoulders forthe tightening nut 19.

The advantages offered by this apparatus will be obvious.

The elastic band is stretched across the rollers shown in FIG. 1. Thetension can be varied according to the ice properties of the elasticfabrics and the sizes. The base 1 with its connection fitting 1', isplaced on the work plate 25 of the sewing machine 26, so that the head21 of the machine grips the band 20 between the presser foot 27 and thefeed dog 28. The entire unit is covered with fabric 22, which is foldedback in the space 23 as and when it passes under the presser foot 27.

Perfectly even stitchings 24 will thus be produced, and they will havethe desired pleating when the piece is removed from the positioningrollers.

The band 20, mounted on the free rollers 4, 5 and 18, is kept perfectlyeven in its tension and follows the driving mechanism of the sewingmachine without resistance, so that the device has considerableflexibility of operation, the stitching process being both rapid andregular.

The shapes, dimensions and positions adopted for the various componentsmay nevertheless vary, within the limits allowed by equivalent devices,as may also the materials used for their manufacture, without therebydeparting from the general principles of the invention described in theforegoing.

I claim:

The combination of a sewing machine having a stitching apparatus andmaterial feed with elastic band stitching apparatus, said stitchingapparatus comprising:

(a) a triangular frame, said frame having two fixed bearings situated afixed distance apart in the same horizontal plane and two rollersjournalled in said bearings, said frame having a vertical slot at thetop thereof a fixed distance above said two bearings and a third bearingvertically shiftable along said slot and a third roller journalled insaid third shift able bearing;

(b) means mounting said frame in alignment with said stitching apparatusof said sewing machine, with the vertically shiftable bearing above saidstitching apparatus and said two fixed bearings disposed in a horizontalplane at opposite sides of said stitching apparatus in alignmenttherewith in the direction of material feed;

(c) means for shifting and locking said third roller into selectedpositions along said slot; and

(d) means for driving material to be stitched around said three rollersand through said stitching apparatus.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,723,781 8/ 1927Hoggard 112-214 X 2,231,648 2/ 1941 Weis 112-2 2,630,773 3/1953 Caparaet al 112-2 2,681,020 6/1954 Liebowitz et a1 112-2 2,809,599 10/ 1957Beeren 112-2 2,885,979 5/ 1959 Perkins 112-2 FOREIGN PATENTS 625,300 9/1931 Germany. 58,385 9/ 1937 Norway.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

THOMAS J. HICKEY, Examiner.

